Archive Article: 2000/07/21
Rain holds up progress across Europe
Harvest was delayed across France and Germany last week and the unsettled weather has raised quality concerns, writes Peter Williams, of Glencore Grain, Rotterdam. But in southern Europe both wheat and barley harvests are nearly done.
Italy Lack of rain during late winter and early spring produced below average yields of soft wheat, so import demand should double to 0.5m tonnes, an opportunity for good quality UK wheat. But lower barley yields will be more than compensated for by a higher maize acreage.
Austria Still part of the EU, for those who might have forgotten, and dry weather has hit malting barley proteins. High nitrogen samples mean more is destined for feed, creating some import requirement.
Spain Barley and soft wheat harvests were about 75% done at the beginning of the week. Estimates are that soft wheat production will be up by about 0.5m tonnes, giving a crop not far short of 5m tonnes, a huge crop for Spain.
France Rain and more rain have caused severe shedding losses in oilseed rape. Barley harvesting limps on between showers and sprouting has been noted in early varieties of wheat such as Tremis and Recital. The high rainfall in the week ending July 17 means little wheat was done and quality concerns are mounting, even if evidence is only anecdotal at this stage.
Germany The story is similar to France except wheat is later maturing so quality concerns are less at this stage. But rye is a big worry for the German grower with a 4.5m tonne crop expected and a Hagberg of 120 needed for intervention. Rain affected crops are failing this test and having to compete with other feed grains locally and into the Netherlands.
Scandinavia Expectations are that both Denmark and Sweden will produce exportable surpluses.